I love how life continues to change. How we move from one stage in life to the next. While we have lots of changes going on, this week marks the end of my 10k training and the beginning of my marathon training.

It seems like forever since I’ve been in marathon training. I was in it for a little while pre-injury but really hadn’t decided on a plan and wasn’t doing things correctly so I am not even sure that counts.

Today starts the next chapter. I feel like I am more ready for this than I have ever been in the past.

Sure there are going to be challenges along the way. There are going to be schedule changes (fingers crossed – will fill you all in once things are finalized) and other wrenches thrown in I am sure but I am ready and eager for the challenge.

In the past, I ran a marathon to just do it. I didn’t think I would ever have been able to complete it but I did. I don’t think my heart was fully into my training at the time. This time I am 100% in it. I am willing to do what it takes to succeed. Success doesn’t mean I have to get a BQ it means that I am going to train my hardest to improve.

I’ve now got 2 marathons in the mix of ones I can possibly do. I wish I had signed up for Chicago when Wes did, but his father so graciously offered to pay his entry fee and since we aren’t 100% sure he can even do it we didn’t want to risk two of us throwing away that kind of money. So instead, assuming he can go, I look forward to cheering him on in Chicago and running my own race a week or two later!

I’ve got a good game plan in place and have learned a lot from my 12 weeks of speed training. In fact, yesterday I completed my final workout.

 

We were exhausted after Saturday so took our time getting up on Sunday morning. I had my final workout scheduled and was a little nervous about it.

We had done some digging on google maps and thought we had found some dirt roads that were only about 5-10 minutes from where we lived. We decided to try drive out and take a look, and if it didn’t work out we would just run around out there.

The roads were there but much hillier than either of us needed that day, so we opted to park at the nearby high school and run.

I started with 3 miles easy and averaged a 8:44 pace. I could tell once this was over this was going to be a tough/hot day.

First 3

I began the 3 miles hard and tried my hardest to relax. I like the fact that my 10k training had several workouts that were based off effort. Sometimes pacing isn’t always the same, so I decided I would just do a “hard pace” whatever that ended up being.

Hard 3

In the end I averaged an 8:00 min pace and was fine with that. I was tired, sweating and ready to be done.

I ran the last 3 miles back to the car. I stopped 3-4 times to stretch and relax. It was just once of those hot and tiring days. I ended up average a 9:48 for the last 3 miles. I didn’t mind one bit.

Last 3

I was completely covered in sweat by the end of the run. It was hot but I was so happy that it was done!

Sweaty

Running continues to remind me that it is such a mental game. Sometimes you just have to mentally train yourself to handle even the hardest runs.

So just like that one stage of running ends and another one begins. I am ready!

 

Do you enjoy changing up your training?

How did your runs go this weekend?

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